1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to coil strapped nails, as well as nailing devices and nail coils for use in nailing devices. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved coil strap having stainless steel nails, which are integrally connected by means of at least two wires, or alternatively three wires, and also relates to nail strapped coils and nailing device using the same.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Nailing devices, which are powered by compressed air, gas, electrical energy or by hand and which use nails stored in a magazine are known in the art. Typically a nailing magazine contains up to 140 parallel-aligned nails, which are connected, e.g. welded, to each other by means of a wire at the nail shafts. As will be appreciated, the ductility of the wire permits the nail strap to be wrapped into a coil, the shape in which it is used in the nailing device.
Current designs feature connecting wires made of soft, unalloyed metals, which permit easy coiling and welding of the wire-nail connection. However, one drawback of using soft, unalloyed metals for the connecting wires is that these devices are prone to jamming. For example, with such a soft-metal design, the hammer action causes a reduction of the nail pitch during operation. Furthermore, the nails in this design are prone to incline towards the magazine center. Accordingly, when in use, repeated malfunctions of the nailing device occur.
Malfunctions may occur because the nails jam due to twisting, jam due to reduction of nail pitch, or jam from excessive inclination of the nails caused by the hammer action. As will be appreciated, these malfunctions are particularly prevalent when the nail strap is nearly used up and the remaining nail strap is unsupported inside the magazine. Accordingly, there remains a long-felt need in the art for a nail coil and device which overcomes these disadvantages.
Prior artisans have devoted extensive research to improving the connection between wire and nail shaft to lessen the unintentional reduction of nail pitch and the inclining of the nails during operation of the nailing device. However, there still remains a long-felt need in the art for a device and method which provides trouble free separation of nail and wire within the nailing device during hammer action, while simultaneously ensuring a proper wire-nail-weld.
The foregoing underscores some of the problems associated with conventional nailing devices and nail coils. Furthermore, the foregoing highlights the need in the art for a reliable nailing device and nail coil which lessens the occurrence of malfunctions.